Saudi Arabia partially resumed operations at two terminals of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday amid ongoing hostilities with Yemen’s Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement. The reopening followed a suspension of airport activity on October 10 after a deadly missile and drone attack claimed by the Houthis killed 13 people and injured more than 300, marking the deadliest such assault in Saudi Arabia in over a decade.
The kingdom’s civil defence authorities issued emergency alerts for Riyadh and several southern cities before quickly stating the threat had subsided. The Saudi-led coalition, backing Yemen’s internationally recognized government, reported intercepting multiple incoming missiles and drones, including two drones and a ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh and a cruise missile targeting Khamis Mushait. In total, coalition forces intercepted around a dozen ballistic missiles directed toward southern Saudi cities.
Houthis military spokesperson Yahya Saree reiterated warnings against the use of Riyadh airport, describing it as a continuing military target. Despite the partial reopening—Terminal 1 designated for domestic flights and Terminal 2 for international flights operated by national carriers—flight tracking services indicated substantial cancellations and limited air traffic on Sunday. Passengers were advised to confirm with airlines before traveling.
The proxy conflict in Yemen has intensified since the breakdown of a United Nations-brokered ceasefire that had largely held since 2022. Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen began in 2015 to support the internationally recognized government after the Houthis captured the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. The Houthis, backed by Iran, have increased missile and drone attacks against Saudi targets, including oil facilities and airports, as fighting escalates on several fronts.
The Houthis claimed to have launched strikes on Saudi oil infrastructure and airports on Saturday, while the Saudi-backed coalition reported intercepting significant missile fire and drone attacks. The coalition has also intensified airstrikes within Yemen, with the Houthis reporting over 3,000 missile and air attacks since fighting escalated earlier this year, including more than 100 attacks in a 24-hour period last week in Houthi-controlled areas such as Sanaa. These claims cannot be independently verified.
Hostilities continue within Yemen itself, with the Saudi-backed Yemeni government reporting that Houthis fired ballistic missiles at coast guard installations in the port city of Aden. The rebels said their attacks targeted military bases commanded by Saudi officers, with eyewitnesses noting several explosions in the southern city.
The conflict, part of a wider regional power struggle involving Iran, Saudi Arabia, and other actors, has caused devastating humanitarian consequences. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1,500 people have died and over 6,900 have been injured in the ongoing escalation, though these figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians and exclude some areas under Houthi control. The war, now in its second decade, continues to destabilize the Arabian Peninsula with no immediate resolution in sight.